Travel with teenage son: Grand Suite or Extra Cabin?

[furloughedagain]

Planning a 20th anniversary Alaska cruise with the wife. Our son will be 15 by then. So big man child...with teenage smells and what not.

 

So what’s your vote? Share a Grand Suite? Or get a balcony suite for the wife and I and an inside cabin across the hall for the young man?

 

I assume the two cabins would be more expensive, so that’s a consideration too. Open to ideas. 

 

(Leaving him at home isn’t a workable idea)

[PhoenixCruiser]

What ship?  Answers might change depending on the class of ship.

 

Maybe you could price a 2-Bedroom Grand Suite or an Owners Suite 

[cindivan]

I can’t speak to what is more expensive as you will have to research options there. 

 

But as a mom (married almost 25 yrs) of three boys (now 22, 21 and 18) and having been blessed to do a lot of fun traveling and cruises together I will offer one piece of advice.   Once my boys started hitting puberty and even a little before I felt I needed to be much more cognizant of not wearing pjs/lounging clothes without a bra, etc around the house. Your family might be more comfortable with that, but it’s one thing to consider.    My boys never seemed to mind too much about walking around in boxers, lol, but I just felt it was weird for me to walk around like that.   So that may be a thing to consider for your wife. 

 

Maybe ask your son and wife about their privacy concerns. You are the dad and ..ummm....probably more comfortable being in minimal clothing around both. They might feel different. 

Edited August 14, 2019 by cindivan

[smplybcause]

I'm single... but I think if married I'd want to not have the kid on the couch in the same room if I was celebrating my anniversary if I could help it. So I vote banish the kid inside! 😉

[martikus]

We are frugal so my son would be on the couch in our room.  Allows to go on more trips.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, furloughedagain said:

 

I assume the two cabins would be more expensive, so that’s a consideration too. Open to ideas. 

 

Just priced out the Aug 14 sailing on Ovation SAILING Alaska.

 

Grand Suite for 3 $11,200

Balcony and inside $6700

 

Easy  choice...the kid gets his own room.

 

When  booking it I would put you or your wife (whoever has the most C&A points) as the solo in the inside cabin as you will get double points then switch cabins on board.

 

 

Similar difference for Radience.

 

GS $9300

Balcony and inside $5900

Edited August 14, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[kernow]

It would depend on price but if they were similar my vote would be for the GS, when our son was that age we did it several times and everyone was happy. I understand for some people there may be privacy issues but for our family it was never a problem (and I'm the mum!).

[flippergirl]

Definitely price it out because I think 2 cabins is usually cheaper that a suite. I would say that the pros of a suite are a nicer room with suite perks and the pros of 2 rooms is more privacy. 

For our family we decided on the suite vs 2 connecting cabins but our kids are 2 and 4 so we don't get privacy anyway and they sail free in a suite.

[Bee Guy]

Anniversary cruise + 15 year old son = 2 cabins.

[ATG]

Two cabins = two bathrooms.  Enough said.

[fredflint]

Ask your son if he wants to bring a friend along?

[Joseph2017China]

Very easy choice for me.  One room, standard Balcony and the kid sleeps on the couch.   Getting the extra room is giving up an extra cruise. 

[Joseph2017China]

9 minutes ago, ATG said:

Two cabins = two bathrooms.  Enough said.

Silly me, but if you have 3 people, and two bathrooms, who gets to share?  Plus, you really don't get ready in the bathroom, the vanity is in the room at the desk.  A shower, and save and the next person goes.  The teenager is only going to be sleeping anyway, so still no issue. 

[mjkacmom]

Our last cruise was two connecting balconies for us and our five teens. Three girls, two boys, no privacy issues (not a lot of modesty here).

[er345]

Two cabins. More privacy, 2 bathrooms, less money. Easy choice. 

[voyager70]

I also vote for two cabins for reasons others have listed.

 

 

[marci22]

If you have to ask the question, I would get two cabins. 

[MommaBear55]

Having a teenager in the same cabin puts a damper on romance.

[furloughedagain]

9 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

Having a teenager in the same cabin puts a damper on romance.

 

So does 20 years of marriage. 🤣

[Bloodgem]

8 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

Very easy choice for me.  One room, standard Balcony and the kid sleeps on the couch.   Getting the extra room is giving up an extra cruise. 

Agreed

Plus a bathrobe for your wife and the Adventure Ocean club for your son. 

[mjkacmom]

2 hours ago, Bloodgem said:

Agreed

Plus a bathrobe for your wife and the Adventure Ocean club for your son. 

He’s a teenager, the teen club is a place to come and go, not a kids club.

[cb at sea]

Whoever is BOOKED in the GS gets the perks....so  if both you and your wife want "suite" perks, register that way!

 

[Ourusualbeach]

51 minutes ago, cb at sea said:

Whoever is BOOKED in the GS gets the perks....so  if both you and your wife want "suite" perks, register that way!

 

Not really sure what you mean as the OP said they would book all 3 in a GS or book a balcony and an inside. 

[MommaBear55]

4 hours ago, furloughedagain said:

 

So does 20 years of marriage. 🤣

I've been married 42 and I don't agree! Although it did improve after the kids left home....

[sikegrad]

Two rooms is the way to go.  He can come and go without disturbing you at 1am when the curfew goes into effect.  We put our kids in their own room when they were 13 and 11, and they definitely missed their own space the last time we were four to a room.